Yasmine Bleeth

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Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Bleeth (left, with Joy Cantilo), November 11, 2006
Birth name	Yasmine Amanda Bleeth
Born	June 14, 1968 (age 38) New York City, New York
Other name(s)	Yaz, Yazmania
Spouse(s)	Paul Cerrito (August 25, 2002 - present)
Notable roles	Caroline Holden on Baywatch, Caitlin Cross on Nash Bridges, Heather Lane Williams on Titans

Yasmine Amanda Bleeth (born June 14, 1968 in New York City) is an American TV and film actress.

Bleeth is famous for her role as Caroline Holden on the worldwide-syndicated TV series Baywatch, where she played an always red-swimsuit-clad lifeguard.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Family

Bleeth's American father, Philip, is Jewish of Russian and German ancestry, while her mother, Carina, was a Pied-noir [1].

Her mother was a former fashion model, while her father was a professional photographer. They both ran a business that rented vans to fashion photographers for on-location shoots. Her father became Yasmine's business manager. Bleeth's parents separated, and she was raised by her mother. She was 18 when they later divorced.

[edit] Childhood

Bleeth's earliest known acting role was in a Johnson & Johnson's No More Tears baby shampoo television commercial at age ten months at the end of 1968 or the beginning of 1969. She once said: "I did my first commercial when I was 10 months old, and I've been in the business ever since." [2] At age 6 she appeared on Candid Camera. Later that year she appeared in a Max Factor cosmetic campaign, along with the model, Cristina Ferrare. Her work in this campaign caught the eye of fashion photographer, Francesco Scavullo, who subsequently included her and her mother, Carina, in his book entitled Scavullo's Women.

Total Film magazine, issue number 21, dated (October 1998), contains a two-page interview with Bleeth. In the article she said, "When I was a girl I used to have to force boys to kiss me. My toughest friend had to hold them down."

Yasmine Bleeth in Hey Babe!, her 1st film at 12-years-old

Bleeth attended the United Nations International School in Manhattan, New York, and she received a bilingual (French-English) education [3]. Although she was very popular with boys, girls frequently beat her up. At one time when she was 14 years old, she had to be away from school for a few months for her acting career. When she returned to school, she was devastated to learn that the students had been gossiping that she was away for so long because she was pregnant.

[edit] On-screen beginnings

Bleeth starred in her first movie at the age of 12. She was cast opposite Buddy Hackett in the feature film Hey Babe! in 1980.

By the time she graduated from high school, she had already been working on the soap opera Ryan's Hope since the age of 16. In 1991, she created the role as Lee Anne Demerest on the highly acclaimed soap opera One Life To Live.

[edit] Mother's death

At the age of 20, Bleeth lost her mother Carina to inflammatory breast cancer, the deadliest type of breast cancer. Bleeth said that she never accepted the fact that her mother was dying until Carina took her very last breath. Just two months after Carina's 47th birthday, her fight with cancer was over [4].

After Carina died, Bleeth sank into depression, and she turned down offers for acting or modeling work for about eight months.

[edit] Fiancée

After she met Ricky Paull Goldin, a soap actor who helped her with her depression. The two lived in Manhattan, but after she was cast for Baywatch, she moved to Los Angeles. The couple had planned to marry, but shortly after the wedding invitations were made out, she called off the marriage.

[edit] Breast cancer advocate

Bleeth was the 1998 spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day fundraising campaign, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education. In 1998 it occurred on October 9, and was called the 'Wear Jeans to Work' campaign. Through Bleeth's help, $5 million was raised on that one day to help the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.[5] Her primary message to women was to pay attention to their bodies; Her mother was initially misdiagnosed by a doctor who thought that she was going through early menopause.

Bleeth donated the proceeds of her $10,000 win on Celebrity Jeopardy to breast cancer research. She hoped to use her celebrity status to expand breast cancer awareness - particularly to young women who might overlook what an older woman would not ignore [6].

Bleeth has been a spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation who, along with corporate sponsor Ford, put together the nationally run Race for the Cure.

[edit] Drug addiction and arrest

In December 2000, Bleeth voluntarily entered the Malibu-based Promises rehabilitation clinic to overcome a cocaine addiction.

On September 12, 2001, the day after the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center in Bleeth's hometown of New York City, Bleeth was arrested in Michigan after her car pulled off the highway and wound up on a median. No other cars were involved. The car accident occurred on Interstate 94 near Detroit as she and her future husband, Paul Cerrito, were heading to Detroit Metropolitan Airport [7]. Booking photograph at time of arrest.

Police found four syringes with an injectable form of cocaine in them and a small plastic bag with cocaine residue on it. The next day police conducted a search of her hotel room, and they found more cocaine and drug paraphernalia. In November 2001, through a plea bargain, Bleeth pleaded guilty to possessing less than 25 grams of cocaine and to driving while impaired. She was sentenced in January 2002 to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.[8]

Bleeth's lawyer, Jerry Sabbota, stated that the actress was satisfied with the plea bargain, noting that her record will be cleared of any felonies after she fulfills the terms of her probation. "When all is said and done she'll have a traffic ticket on her record. She wasn't treated any better than anyone else, and she wasn't treated any worse", Sabbota said. Bleeth completely fulfilled the terms of her probation as of January 2004, and her record was cleared as previously determined by the plea bargain.

[edit] Rehab and sobriety

Attorney Sabbota stated that Bleeth had returned to Promises rehabilitation clinic. In an issue of Glamour from April 2003, Bleeth wrote a three page article entitled "Back From my Drugs Hell" about her rocky path to recovery, her drug addiction, and her struggle to remain sober. She wrote that she had a cocaine habit that was so severe that she collapsed at a photo shoot for Glamour magazine, and she went without sleep for five days at a time. She wrote that "consciously trying to stay off drugs is now part of my life and always will be." [9]

Commenting on her cocaine addiction, Bleeth said, "It was almost like falling in love... It became my boyfriend, my best friend, my family."

[edit] Marriage

Bleeth married former bar owner Paul Cerrito on August 25, 2002.[10] They met each other at the Promises clinic. They married in Santa Barbara, California and now live in Los Angeles, California.

In the (April 2003) edition of Glamour, Bleeth stated, "They say you shouldn't get into any relationship in the first year of sobriety — especially with someone in the program, but Paul and I fell in love immediately."

[edit] Trivia

She was one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in 1995. She was also one of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World every year from 1996 - 2001, and FHM's U.S. 100 Sexiest Women every year from 2000 - 2003.
Adam Sandler's second Chanukah Song name checks Bleeth, adding, "Yes, her boobs are real."
Bleeth once dated Matthew Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends.[11] On several occassions in the show, Chandler also admitted to being in love with Bleeth. In one episode, Chandler and Joey purchase a chick and a duck, and Chandler names the chick "Yasmine".
Bleeth was asked by a fan: "On Friends, what do you think of Joey and Chandler's obsession with Baywatch? Chandler even put you on his "five celebrities I can sleep with and my mate can't get mad" list. Is this weird for you, or are you flattered?" Yasmine responded: "I'm flattered — and it sure doesn't hurt our show, either." [12]
Bleeth appeared in The Rembrandts' video This House is Not a Home, a follow-up song to their theme song for Friends.
Bleeth was asked by a fan: "Why have you turned down repeated offers to pose for Playboy?" Yasmine responded: "I'm not interested in Playboy. I'm a fashion maven, and I love people to see me with my clothes on." [13]
Bleeth had her own line of swimwear called Yaz Wear
Her given name Yasmine is Persian for a fragrant flower and Hebrew for Jasmine. Bleeth is Yiddish in origin, and was once spelled as blut, which is German for blood.

[edit] Work

Due to her role in Baywatch, Yasmine was offered many more roles in television and film. She continued to work as a model, frequently appearing in swimwear or lingerie, but has never appeared nude despite many offers.

[edit] Television series

Bleeth turned down roles in Aaron Spelling's Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) and Pacific Palisades (1997) but accepted the starring role in the short-lived series Titans (2000) [14]. Aaron Spelling was so eager to cast Yasmine in the role of a vixen on Titans that his company convinced CBS to grant her an early release from her Nash Bridges contract.

Titans, 2000
Nash Bridges, 1998-2000
Baywatch, 1994-1997
One Life to Live, 1991-1993
Ryan's Hope, 1985-1989

[edit] Notable TV guest appearances

Baywatch (October 25, 1993) as Caroline Holden
Baywatch Nights (March 9, 1996) The Curator as Caroline Holden
Before They Were Stars (1996) (episodes 4 and 7)
Boy Meets World (May 5, 1995) (2nd season, episode 43) The Thrilla' In Phila
Candid Camera: 5 Decades of Smiles - The Best of the 1990s - Yasmine Bleeth's Candid Experience
Celebrity Dish aka TV Guide's Celebrity Dish (2000)
Celebrity Jeopardy! (1990)s (Season 12)
The Daily Show (January 27, 1999) (Episode 21 of 744)
Daytime's Greatest Weddings (2004) as LeeAnne Buchanan
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve (1996) Dick Clark hosted from Times Square in New York City while Bleeth and Jamie Walters hosted from Hollywood, California
E! True Hollywood Story (July 1, 2001) (Episode 46 of 289) Baywatch
Herman's Head (December 2, 1993) (Season 3, Episode 11) An Actor Prepares as Linda
Howard Stern (September 21, 1994; June 16, 1995; February 3, 1999 and February 20, 1999)
I Love the 90s (2004)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (September 18, 1997 and October 7, 1998
Late Show with David Letterman (July 29, 1998 January 25, 1999 and November 17, 1999)
Live with Regis and Kathie Lee (January 13, 1989)
Margarita Bowl (1997)
The Naked Truth (February 20, 1997) (Season 2, Episode 6) The Dating Game as Natalie
One Life to Live (June 3, 2005)
Politically Incorrect (1997)
Punk'd – (Season 1)
Revealed with Jules Asner (April 2, 2003)
The Rosie O'Donnell Show (September 2, 1996; September 16, 1997 and January 26, 1999)
Saturday Night Special (May 11, 1996) (episode 5)
The Simpsons (October 31, 1999) Treehouse of Horror X
South Park (Number 511)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (July 18, 1995 and November 19, 1998)
V.I.P. (April 20, 2002) Miss Con-Jeannie-Ality as Kristen Grayson
Veronica's Closet (February 26, 1998) (Season 1, Episode 15) Veronica's a Drag as Katerena

[edit] Filmography

The Last Guy on Earth, 2006
Game Over, 2003
Maximum Surge, 2003
Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding, 2003
Goodbye Casanova, 2000
Hidden War, 2000
Road Rage, 1999
Coming Soon, 1999
Heaven or Vegas, 1999
Undercover Angel, 1999
Ultimate Deception, 1999
It Came From the Sky, 1999
BASEketball, 1998
The Lake, 1998
Crowned and Dangerous, 1997
Talk To Me, 1996
The Face, 1996
Baywatch the Movie: Forbidden Paradise, 1995
The Force, 1994
Hey Babe!, 1980

[edit] Plays

Welcome to My Life (October 1991) ... Starring role; a series of three one-act plays written by Charlie Loventhal (Second Stage Theater, New York, New York, USA)
Looking for It (late 1980s) ... off-broadway play

[edit] Magazines

[edit] Interviews

Maxim (USA) October 1998, by: Steven Russell, Yasmine Bleeth [15]
Details (USA) October 1997 8 Babes A Week
E!Online (USA) April 1996 Yasmine Bleeth Q & A
Smoke 4th anniversary issue, by: Joan Tarshis, Being Yasmine Bleeth
FHM (UK) August 1998
SELF (USA) July 1998, by: Susan Mulcaby, Bleeth Spirit
OK! (UK) (March 2003) Yasmine Bleeth's Wedding
Complete Woman (USA) by: Joan Tavshis, Titans’ Star Yasmine Bleeth
Celebrity Style (USA) April 1999 by: Alexis Iacone
Glamour (USA) April 2003 Back From My Drugs Hell
Maxim (USA) December 1998, Issue 14, pg. 115-118, by: Stephen Russell, Yasmine Bleeth
Detour (USA) August 1998, pg. 62-63, by: Robert Ellsworth, All That Yasmine
TV Guide (USA) January 31, 1998, Vol. 46, Issue 5, pg. 14-19, by: Hilary De Vries, Beyond The Bay
Total Film (USA) October 1998, Issue 21, 2 page interview

[edit] Articles

Channels (USA) December 1999, by: Dennis Hensley, YAS-AMATAZ (Read article)
E!Online (USA) Yasmine Bleeth as Baywatch's Caroline Holden
People (USA) 1996 Yasmine Bleeth - Talk To Me
People (USA) 1996 Yasmine Bleeth - A Face To Die For
Entertainment Weekly (USA) 2001 by: A.J. Jacobs Yasmine Bleeth - The Ultimate Temptation [16]
Soap Opera Digest (USA) 1986, Ryans Hope Yasmine Bleeth: Not Your Everyday Ingenue
Starlog February 1996, Issue #223
Who Weekly (Australia) October 8, 2001 Yasmine Bleeth - full page story with large picture
Movieline (USA) July 1998, Vol. 9, Iss. 10, pg. 12, by: Dennis Hensley, She Can Cut It
The Newfoundland Herald (Canada) Dec. 16 - 22, 1995 Yasmine Bleeth Brings Character To Baywatch - cover and 1 1/2 page article and pictorial

[edit] Pictorials

Celebrity Sleuth (USA) July 2003, Iss. 26, pg. 64-67, by: staff, Nose...Out of Joint
Playboy (USA) November 2000, Vol. 47, Iss. 11, pg. 184, by: Fitzroy Barrett, Grapevine: Made a Sexy Splash on Nash
US Weekly (USA) July 1999, Iss. 258, pg. 74, by: Tom Conroy, The Bod Squad: Yasmine Bleeth
Celebrity Sleuth (USA) 1999, Vol. 12, Iss. 9, pg. 48-49, by: staff, Police Sirens: Nash Bridges
Maxim (USA) December 1998, Iss. 14, pg. 114-119, by: Albert Sanchez, Yasmine Bleeth
Playboy (USA) June 1998, Vol. 45, Iss. 6, pg. 131, by: staff, The Babes Of Baywatch
Celebrity Sleuth (USA) 1995, Vol. 8, Iss. 9, pg. 68-69, by: staff, Channel Surfing: Baywatch

[edit] Magazine covers

American Woman (USA) June 1997
Bikini (USA) May 1995
Celebrity Sleuth (USA) July 2003, Issue 26
Celebrity Style (USA) April 1999
Channels (USA) December 1999
Complete Woman (USA)
Details (USA) October 1997
Entertainment Weekly (USA) September 29, 2000, Vol. 1, Issue 561
Entertainment Weekly (USA) September 4, 1997
Entrevue (France) April 1997, Issue 56
Entrevue (France) March 1999, Issue 79
Entrevue (France) October 1995, Issue 38
Episodes (USA) November 12, 1992
FHM (UK) October 1996, Issue 10
FHM (UK) September 1999
FHM (UK) March 2003
FHM (UK) August 1998
Herald (Newfoundland, Canada) 1995
Hitkrant (Netherlands) August 10, 1996, Issue 32
Hitkrant (Netherlands) September 20, 1995, Issue 39
Inside Sport (USA) February 1996
Ladies Home Journal (USA) circa 1972 when Bleeth was 4 years old
Maxim (USA) December 1998, Issue 14
Maxim (USA) October 1999, Issue 14
Sky Magazine (UK) April 1995, Issue 4
Smoke (USA) 4th anniversary issue
Soap Opera (USA) February 1992
Soap Opera (USA) December 1991
TV Guide (USA) January 31, 1998, Vol. 46, Issue 5
TV Hören und Sehen (Germany) February 1998, Issue 7
TV Movie (Germany) September 1997, Issue 19
TV-Spielfilm (Germany) 1998, Vol. 1; Issue 22
TV Today March 26, 1999
Veronica (Netherlands) July 15, 1995, Issue 28
Veronica (Netherlands) October 17, 1998, Issue 42
Veronica (Netherlands) July 10, 1999, Issue 28
Veronica (Netherlands) August 3, 1996, Issue 31
Veronica (Netherlands) 1995, Issue 38
Woman's Own (British) February 1998
YM (USA) June 1996

[edit] External links

Yasmine Bleeth at the Internet Movie Database
Yasmine Bleeth at TV.com
A Mother's Legacy Her account of her mother's cancer
Yasmine Bleeth - Turning Point for an Actress Another account of her mother's cancer

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